The role of Education Scotland Associate (ESA) was introduced during session 2023-24. It draws on the expertise of practitioners to contribute to educational policy, improvement and development. This is important as we move towards the aspiration of a teacher facing, profession led agency as recommended in Professor Ken Muir’s report ‘Putting Learners at the Centre: Towards a Future Vision for Scottish Education’.

By working with Education Scotland our associates gain a national perspective of education, developing their system leadership as well as benefitting from additional high-quality professional learning.

About Education Scotland Associates

Our Education Scotland Associates come from a range of roles and bring a wealth of current experience. They currently include:

• senior leaders including headteachers, depute headteachers and quality improvement officers
• curriculum specialists including class teachers, faculty heads and principal teachers from both primary and secondary schools
• support and improvement ESAs including class teachers, faculty heads and principal teachers from both primary and secondary schools
• PISA ESAs who are current principal teachers
• early years specialists including heads of early years centres and primary DHTs
• additional support needs specialists including teachers, principal teachers and QIOs.

What Scotland Associates do

Each Education Scotland Associate has approval from their employer to spend up to 15 days each financial year working with Education Scotland.

Requests for Education Scotland Associate time are carefully considered to ensure that the inclusion of an ESA will add significant value and enhance the work of our teams by bringing their real-time experience and expertise to a variety of tasks. Associates are deployed according to their skills and experience based on careful analysis of need across the wider education system.

Examples of work that our associates are currently involved in include, working with our teams to:

• develop and deliver professional learning
• work on the Curriculum Improvement Cycle
• support improvement in early years centres, schools and local authorities
• support national work in relation to transitions and data
• review and create resources to support the system.